This invention relates to the manufacture of improved fabrication members, in particular, the manufacturing of fabrication members having properties to create more effective and efficient fabrication members.
Frame members are made from a variety of materials used for many different applications. Fabrication members are used in applications where increased load is exerted in a structure. For example, such loads in buildings may comprise the gravitational load exerted by the weight of the building, the loads exerted by the manner in which the building is used, and loads exerted by the environment, such as from wind and seismic activity. For further example, such loads in vehicles may be exerted by the weight of the vehicle, by the cargo carried by the vehicle, or the manner in which the vehicle is used; additionally, such loads may be exerted by collisions. In each instance, the structure has to be reinforced, compared to less-load-bearing areas, in order to maintain the structural integrity of the building or vehicle.
It is customary for the designer of structures to specify the load-bearing qualities which must be exhibited by each of the components comprised in the structure. Special attention is paid to the special load-bearing components. Typically these load-bearing components are formed from a single strip of raw material having relatively uniform thickness and substantially uniform properties across the entire sheet. Examples of such members used in structures include cold-formed steel metal studs used in walls, metal building purlins used in roofs and walls, or curtainwall members or large windows. Such structures have been customarily made from a single piece of metal strip material which is cold-formed through a series of mechanical passes in order to shape them into the desired structure. As a result, the previous cold-formed fabrication members have a relatively uniform thickness throughout the entire structure, including areas of the structure which carry less load. These previous fabrication members, therefore, comprise more material than is necessary to perform their desired function.
These fabrication members often comprise one or more web portions and one or more flange portions. Generally, the web-portion having different mechanical properties to bear shear and torsional forces along the length of the web portion and between flange portions. Tube-shaped fabrication members often comprise two web portions connecting two flange portions. Generally, these fabrication members are formed from a single metal strip with the web portions the same dimensions and mechanical properties as the flanges. The specifications of the flange members providing for a desired material and desired dimensions of the fabrication members. Generally, however, the loads applied to the web portions require less material than the loads applied to the flange portions. There is, therefore, a need for a fabrication member meeting the desired load-bearing requirements, while also having a more effective and efficient structure.
Presently disclosed is a method of making a composite tube-shaped fabrication member comprising the steps of: providing in a coil a first planar member having a desired cross-sectional shape and a desired first set of mechanical properties suitable to form a flange of a tube-shaped fabrication member; providing in coils two second planar members having a desired cross-sectional shape and a desired second set of mechanical properties different from the first planar member suitable to form web portions of a tube-shaped frame member; providing in coils two third planar members each having a desired cross-sectional shape and a desired third set of mechanical properties suitable to form a portion of a flange of the tube-shaped member; uncoiling and passing through accumulators a third planar member, a second planar member, the first planar member, a second planar member, and a third planar member, the accumulators allowing sufficient delay to permit for welding of end portions of coils to enable continuous flow of first planar member, second planar members, and third planar members; aligning side portions of first planar member and second planar member and side portions of the first planar member and third planar member for attachment; attaching side portions of the first planar member and the two third planar members to respective side portions of two second planar members by induction welding to form a composite intermediate product as a continuum of a third planar member, a second planar member, the first planar member, a second planar member and a third planar member, suitable for forming a tube-shaped composite fabrication member; and cold-forming the composite intermediate product to form a composite fabrication member of a tube-shape with the first planar member forming flange portions, the second planar members forming web portions, and the two third planar members forming a flange portion of the tube-shaped composite fabrication member. The method may also comprise attaching the two third planar members together by welding to form a continuous flange of the tube-shaped fabrication member.
In some embodiments the step of cold-forming imparts bends in the first and third planar members adjacent transitions between the first and second planar members and the second and third planar members to form a box-shaped fabrication member. In other embodiments the step of cold-forming may impart a profile into the first, second and third planar members to form a curvilinear-shaped tubular fabrication member. Furthermore, in embodiments, the step of attaching the first and third planar members to the second planar members is performed with the step of cold-forming to form a composite fabrication member having a tube-shape. Alternatively, or in addition, the step of attaching the two third planar members by welding to form the tube-shaped composite fabrication member may be performed with the step of cold-forming to form a composite fabrication member having a tube-shape.
The presently disclosed method of making a composite fabrication member may further comprise the step of forming perforations, embossments, or knurling in the composite intermediate product and/or the composite fabrication member.
Also disclosed is a method of making a composite intermediate fabrication product comprising the steps of: providing in a coil a first planar member having a desired cross-sectional shape and a desired first set of mechanical properties suitable to form a flange of a tube-shaped fabrication member; providing in coils two second planar member having a desired cross-sectional shape and a desired second set of mechanical properties different from the first planar members suitable to form a web portion of a tube-shaped frame member; providing in coils two third planar members each having a desired cross-sectional shape and a desired third set of mechanical properties suitable to form a portion of a flange of the tube-shaped member; uncoiling and passing through accumulators a third planar member, a second planar member, the first planar member, a second planar member, and a third planar member, the accumulators allowing sufficient delay to permit for welding of end portions of coils to enable continuous flow of first planar member, second planar members, and third planar members; aligning side portions of first planar member and second planar member and side portions of the first planar member and third planar member for attachment; and attaching side portions of the first planar member and the two third planar members to respective side portions of two second planar member by induction welding to form a composite intermediate product as a continuum of a third planar member, a second planar member, the first planar member, a second planar member and a third planar member, suitable for forming a tube-shaped composite fabrication member.
The disclosed method of making a composite fabrication member and the disclosed method of making a composite intermediate product may both have side portions of the first and third planar members overlap with side portions of the second planar members prior to induction welding. The second planar members may have thicknesses less than the thicknesses of the first and third planar members. Alternatively, the third planar members may have thicknesses less than the thicknesses of the first and second planar members.
The first and third planar members may be made from a material suitable for making a composite intermediate such as steel or aluminum or alloys thereof having different compositions. Alternatively the first and third planar members are made of a steel or aluminum or alloy thereof composition different from the second planar members.
Also disclosed is a method for making a tube-shaped fabrication member comprising the step of: providing in a coil a first planar member having a desired cross-sectional shape and a desired first set of properties suitable to form a first part of a tube-shaped composite fabrication member; providing in a coil a second planar member having a desired cross-sectional shape and a desired second set of properties different from the first set suitable to form a second part of a tube-shaped composite fabrication member; uncoiling and passing through accumulators the first planar member and the second planar member, the accumulators allowing sufficient delay to permit for welding of end portions of coils to enable continuous flow of first planar member, and second planar member; aligning side portions of first planar member and second planar member for attachment; attaching the first and second planar members together at first side portions adjacent a transition by induction welding to form a composite intermediate product as a continuum of the first and second planar members, suitable for forming into a tube-shaped composite fabrication member; and cold-forming the composite intermediate product to bend non-joined side portions of the first and second planar members and attaching together non-joined side portions of the first and second planar members by welding along said side portions to form a tube-shaped composite fabrication member.
In some embodiments, the step of cold-forming includes imparting bends in the first planar member, the first planar member having a thickness greater than the second planar member, adjacent the non-joined side portions and the adjacent transitions between the first planar member and the second planar members and therebetween to form a box-shaped tubular fabrication member. In alternative embodiments, the step of cold-forming includes imparting bends in the second planar member, the first planar member having a thickness greater than the second planar member, adjacent the non-joined side portions and the adjacent transitions between the first planar member and the second planar members and therebetween to form a box-shaped tubular fabrication member. In further embodiments, the step of cold-forming includes imparting a profile to the first and second planar members bringing the non-joined side portions of the first and second planar members together to form a curvilinear-shaped tubular fabrication member.
Also disclosed is a method for making a composite intermediate fabrication product comprising the steps of: providing in a coil a first planar member having a desired first set of mechanical properties and a desired cross-sectional shape, suitable to form a first part of a tube-shaped fabrication member; providing in a coil a second planar member having a desired second set of mechanical properties and a desired cross-sectional shape, suitable to form a second part of a tube-shaped fabrication member; providing in a coil a third planar member having a desired third set of mechanical properties and a desired cross-section shape, suitable to form a third part of a tube-shaped fabrication member; uncoiling and passing through accumulators the first planar member, the second planar member, and the third planar member, the accumulators allowing sufficient delay to permit for welding of end portions of coils to enable continuous flow of first planar member, second planar member, and third planar member; aligning a first side portion of the first planar member with a first side portion of the second planar member and aligning a second side portion of the second planar member with a first side portion of the third planar member for attachment; and, attaching the first and third planar members to the second planar member together at respective side portions by induction welding, forming a composite intermediate product, a continuum of the first planar member, second planar member, and third planar member.
Additionally disclosed is a method of forming a tube-shaped structural fabrication member comprising the steps of: providing in a coil a first planar member having a desired first set of mechanical properties and a desired cross-sectional shape, suitable to form a first part of a tube-shaped fabrication member; providing in a coil a second planar member having a desired second set of mechanical properties and a desired cross-sectional shape, suitable to form a second part of a tube-shaped fabrication member; providing in a coil a third planar member having a desired third set of mechanical properties and a desired cross-section shape, suitable to form a third part of a tube-shaped fabrication member; uncoiling and passing through accumulators the first planar member, the second planar member, and the third planar member, the accumulators allowing sufficient delay to permit for welding of end portions of coils to enable continuous flow of first planar member, second planar member, and third planar member; aligning a first side portion of the first planar member with a first side portion of the second planar member and aligning a second side portion of the second planar member with a first side portion of the third planar member for attachment; attaching the first and third planar members to the second planar member together at respective side portions by induction welding, forming a composite intermediate product, a continuum of first planar member, second planar member, and third planar member; cold-forming the composite intermediate product bringing the non-joined side portions of first and third planar members together and attaching adjacent side portions of the first and third planar members together by welding to form a tube-shaped composite fabrication member.
In some embodiments, the step of cold-forming may include imparting bends in the second planar member to form a U-shape with returns adjacent first and third planar members. In alternative embodiments, the step of cold-forming may impart bends in the second planar member to form a U-shape and bends in the first and third planar members adjacent the second planar member. In further embodiments, the step of cold-forming may impart a profile into the first, second and third planar members to form a curvilinear-shaped tubular fabrication member.
Also disclosed is a method of making a composite fabrication member comprising the steps of: providing in a coil a first planar member having a desired cross-sectional shape and a desired first set of mechanical properties suitable to form a first part of a fabrication member; providing in a coil a second planar member having a desired cross-sectional shape with a thickness less than the first planar member and a desired second set of mechanical properties different from the first planar member suitable to form a second part of a fabrication member; uncoiling and passing through accumulators the first planar member and the second planar member, the accumulators allowing sufficient delay to permit for welding of end portions of coils to enable continuous flow of first planar member and second planar member; aligning side portions of the first planar member and second planar for attachment; attaching the first planar member and second planar member together at side portions by induction welding to form a composite intermediate product as a continuum of first planar member and second planar member; and, cold-forming to form a composite fabrication member of a desired shape, such as L-shape, or tubular shape, or other desired shapes.
The method may also include where a lip is formed on the first planar member and second planar member to form a lipped L-shaped fabrication member. Furthermore, the method of making a composite fabrication member may comprise the additional step of welding two fabrication members together each of which are L-shaped to form a box-shaped tubular fabrication member.
The side portions of the first and second planar members may overlap prior to welding. The second planar member may form a light-weight web portion of the composite fabrication member, and the first planar member may form a flange portion of the composite fabrication member.
The first and second planar members may be formed from a material suitable for forming a composite fabrication member. Examples of which materials may include steel or aluminum or alloys thereof having different compositions. Alternatively, the first and second planar members may have the same composition.
Such disclosed methods may include the step of forming perforations, embossments or knurling in the composite intermediate product or the composite fabrication member.
Some embodiments of the present method may produce composite fabrication members of a desired cross-sectional shape at 300-500 ft/min, or up to 800 ft/min, or 1000 ft/min dependent, in part, on the size and desired cross-section shape. In other embodiments the present method may produce composite fabrication members of a desired cross-sectional shape in excess of 200 ft/min.
Presently disclosed is a system for forming a composite intermediate product by the herein disclosed methods. Additionally, presently disclosed is a system for forming a composite fabrication member by the herein disclosed methods.
The composite fabrication members have reduced cost in starting materials and reduced weight, and reducing associated transportation costs of raw materials, intermediary products, and finished products. Composite structural components formed by the present method are lighter, reducing the weight of the vehicles, reducing manufacturing expenses, and increasing fuel efficiency in operation of the vehicles. An L-shape formed from such methods shall have a more effective and efficient use of material, selecting the second planar member to provide a more effective and efficient amount of material used while having mechanical properties to provide the desired load-bearing capacity for the composite structural member, maintaining the composite fabrication member to required mechanical strength and design specifications.
The composite intermediate product and subsequent cold-formed structural fabrication member may be desirable in a number of industries. Such industries may include, but not be limited to, the building, automotive, piping, plumbing, gutter, mechanical, and oil & gas industries.